Here in Canberra, I havent quite cut my Thai links. I live with a Thai artist, a lady around 50 years old and former wife of a Thai diplomat. Now she teaches Australian diplomats Thai language and culture and decorates rooms with fabric.
This morning, she took me to the Thai temple for giving food to the monks, praying together and finally, sharing the remaining food with the community.
We were arriving late and I was directed in to give the food to the monks, while the Thai lady was finding a spot to park her car. I entered the temple and far from being looked at as a stranger they have never seen, everyone seemed happy to see me. The expression on people's faces somehow even made me feel that they had always been waiting for me and were now pleased to see me finally arrive. There was absolutely no feeling of distance or skepticism. I was instantly part of the group.
I think this is one of the amazing characteristics of Thai people. In Western societies I often feel people need to prove themselves to be accepted as a part of a society. That can be the case in the context of personal relationships, friendships but also for the society as a whole.
In Thailand however, you are immediately given a chance. I have hardly ever felt any negativity, defensiveness or even just distance coming from people. There could be a bit of shyness, but this is not negative as such.
After having given the food to all the 5 monks, and payed them my respect with a wai, I sat down and waited for the monks to start chanting. That was the signal to pour water in a bowl to honour the deceased. Then, we started to sing prayers for 8 minutes while the monks were eating their only meal of the day.
As I couldnt sing the Thai songs, I just rested and thought of my time in Thailand and how I miss a lot of places. After the songs, we observed 5 minutes of quiet and then we could finally take the remaining food to the kitchen and share it among the community.
It was interesting to watch the community while we were all eating. There were Thai woman with local husbands, there was an Indonesian Buddhist woman with an Australian Buddhist husband, a Laotian woman with two little mixed baby boys and a Burmese man.
Everyone somehow interacted even though people didnt know each other. The numerous kids were cuddled and touched, picked up and sometimes even scolded by all sorts of other people. At some point, the lady I know just had a baby in her arms and didnt know whose baby it was. Such is the trust among the people.
The local abbot, who said I look like Elton John....
Then, there was also the abbot who came to thank me for coming. He said I should come again, congratulated me on my Thai and remarked that I look like Elton John. And then he started to sing "Candle in the Wind..."
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